Visual Art

Tijdelijke halte: Post CS

A temporary metro station between Amsterdam Central Station and Nieuwmarkt.

Location W139, Amsterdam, NL
Production 2005
Material Mixed Media
Measurement 4200 x 1000 x 400 cm (LxWxH)
Photo: Henni van Beek

In Post CS, the former TGP Post building where, among others, the Stedelijk Museum and Club 11 were temporarily housed, W139 had a temporary exhibition space in the basement. At the time of the exhibition, the building was difficult to reach by public transport.


The spatial experience of Temporary stop: Post CS starts at the main entrance of the building. There is a metro cube on the roof of the entrance, an illuminated "platform" sign above the stairs, and the corridors you enter have a "metro" appearance. In the basement you come to a chilly waiting room with long rows of plastic chairs and four monitors on the wall. It shows images from a security camera, recorded on an empty platform and in a moving metro. You reach the platform via a sloping floor (suitable for wheelchair users). All basic ingredients of a metro station are present: the platform with a black hole on both sides, the rails with the yellow power conductor, the clock with the digital information board and security cameras.

But there will be no metro. Because if you look closely, you will see that only the second hand runs on the clock and that no information can be read on the digital board. The rails, although they look lifelike, are made of wood; the screws securing the rails are macaroons; the black hole from which the metro will appear seems endless, but is in reality a black wall, six meters away.

Photo: Henni van Beek
Photo: Henni van Beek
Photo: Henni van Beek

Waiting for Godot

W139 attracted a record number of visitors to this exhibition. Some of them were really put on the wrong track after waiting up to half an hour for the metro. Reactions from spectators varied from recognition, surprise, frustration, admiration, anger, tranquility and awareness of the space.

(Made possible by GVB Amsterdam and Prorail)

Wachtruimte

In the space next to the platform is a waiting area with two monitors on either side of the wall, showing an endless montage of recordings in a moving metro. The moment the metro enters the station, the image jumps to the next clip.

Finissage

On the last day of the exhibition Graffiti artists were invited to cover the walls of the installation with Tags and Pieces.

In another room, Bingo was played with found objects and clothing from the NS (Dutch Railways).